Explorations in Bible lands during the 19th century - H. V. Hilprecht

DURING 19 CENTURY: ARABIA 711
the country between Yemen proper and Hadhramot. Yet
Maltzan undoubtedly has the credit of having created an
interest in Arabian geography and ethnology in wide circles
and of having himself given much new, though not always
accurate, information on these subjects. It was reallv a new
world that Maltzan by his accounts of Dathina, Yafi'a,
Baihan, etc., revealed to the western world, though then
South Arabian Princes
(Sons of the Sultan of Lahij ivith tivo slaves)
only seen as through a glass darklv. It was first proved
by Glaser's explorations that these districts made up most
ot the ancient kingdom of Oataban, which along with Ma'in,
Saba (Sheba), and Hadhramot flourished nearly a thousand
years, ending shortly before the birth of Christ. In his
book Maltzan was able also to utilize the report 1 of a tour
1
Comp. Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, vol. xli.
1871.